Measuring-receptacle for liquids, &amp; c.



No. 7|0,932. Patentod Oct. 7 |902.

w. zmnEnnAu. IEASUBING RECEPTACLE FDR LIUUIDS, Isc.

(Application mnd lfb. 13, 1909.)'

(I9 Iodal.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

JOHN YV. ZIMMERMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MEASURlNG-RECEPTACLE FOR LIQUIDS, 81,0.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent NO, 710,932, dated October1902. Application led I'ehrnary 13, 1902. Serial No. 93,355. (No modehlcommonly used in drawing olf and serving milk, beer, and otherbeverages.

'lhe object of the invention is to provide, in i association with areceptacle of the class described and analogous classes, a simpleindicating device having the nature of both an annunciator and a lock,which is actuated by the gravity of the contained liquid and whichautomatically gives notice to the attendant or operator of the receptionof a predetermined quantity of liquid or other substance within thereceptacle; and to this end my iuvention resides in the combination,with a receptacle of the general class mentioned and a handle pivotedthereto, of a spring-controlled indicator or annunciator actuated inconsequence of a relative tilting movement between the receptacle andits handle set up by the gravity of the contained liquid.

I have illustrated my invention in the form which I prefer to employ inconnection with the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is a sideelevation of a receptacle having my invention applied thereto and partlybroken away to better illust-rate the indicator mechanism, and Fig. 2isa top plan view of the device complete.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates the receptacle, which is hereshown in the form of a plain cylindrical mug or cup. To the outersurface of this mug and somewhat below the middle thereof is applied abracket B, in which is pivoted a handle, (designated as a whole by C.)This handle has the usual loop-shaped handhold O of a size and shapeadapting it to be securely grasped and held by the hand of the attendantor user and comprises as auxiliary elements thereof for the purpose ofmy invention a vertical eX- tension c, reaching approximately to the topof the mug, and a short depending lug c', eX-

tending approximately to the level of the bottom of the mug. The upperend of the extension c is transversely slotted, as shown at c2, to forma catch, as hereinafter described, and opposite this slotted portion ofthe handle the wall of the mug is similarly slotted, as shown at a.Through the slots thus formed is passed in a direction substantiallynormal to the cylindrical wall of the mug a latch-bar D, the inner endof which lies within the chamber of the receptacle and is pivoted at ein the upper end of a bracket lil, secured to the inner wall of thereceptacle just below the slot a. The latch-bar D is provided on itsunder edge, near the outer extremity thoroof,with a locking-notch (l,which may conveniently be formed, asshown, by a short upward curve orbend in the bar itself, while to the outer extremity of the bar isprovided a weight, here shown as a ball F.

Against the outer wall of the mug, near its lower end and in radial linewith the depending lug c of the handle, is applied a coilcompression-spring G, the inner end of the spring being convenientlyseated by means of a radially-projecting boss H on the wall of the mug,which enters and snugly fits the inner end of the coil. The outer end ofthis spring contacts an abutment-disk K, the inner face of which isprovided with a boss 7s similar to the boss H and entering the outer endof the spring, while the outer face of the disk K and its boss arecentrally socketed to receive the inner end or point of a thumb-screw L,thc stem or shank of which engages an internallythreaded aperture formedthrough the dependinglug c of the handle. The enlarged head of thethumlrscrew is preferably milled or otherwise roughened, as shown at Z,to fa cilitate the easy turning of the latter.

My invention operates in the followingr manner: The line of action ofthe spring G and the normal relative adjustment of the parts is suchthat when the mug is empty the lower portion of the handle is thrustoutwardly by the spring, thereby carrying the upper end of the handleinwardly, with the upper end of its vertical extension c in contact withthe upper rim of the mug and maintaining the weighted bar D elevated,all as shown by dotted lines in Fig. l. The parts will maintain thisrelative position Whether the receptacle be at rest on the table or baror be supported by its handle in the grasp of the attendant or user, solong as it is empty. When, however, being held by its handle C, it isplaced beneath a faucet or the like and the liquid is allowed' to flowfreely into the receptacle, the constantly-increasing weight of theliquid received serves to gradually tilt the body of the receptacle withreference to its pivoted handle, thereby causing the upper slotted endof the extension c to gradually travel outward relatively to theuppermargin of the receptacle on the bar D, at the same time compressingspring G until the base of the slot c2, constituting a catch, encountersthe notch l of the bar, whereupon the latter will instantly drop, underthe action of its weight F, into locking engagement with the verticalextension c. the latch-bar D with the handle constitutes a signal orannunciator to the user either that the receptacle has been properlyfilled with the amount of liquid intended to be served or that any otherpredetermined volume or amount has been drawn off, the volume to bedrawn off being capable of exact determination in advance by thetensioning of the spring G, which is effected by the simple turning ofthe thumb-screw L. By increasing the expansive eect of the springthrough compression of its coil an increased Weight and consequentvolume of liquid will be required within the receptacle before thelatter will tilt relatively to its handle to such an extent as to effectthe interlocking of the latch-bar D and the handle, While by decreasingthe energy of the spring G by withdrawing the thumbscrew and partiallyrelieving the compression of the coil a correspondingly-smaller volumeand weight of liquid will suffice to effect the result described. Thethumb-screw L forms an exceedingly sensitive device for this purpose.After the receptacle has been lled with the required quantity of liquidin the manner above described the handle remains locked in the full-lineposition shown in Fig. l relatively to the receptacle while its contentsare poured out, thereby preventing any Wabbling or unsteadiness of thebody of the device in the hand of the user. When the receptacle is to berefilled, the operator conveniently trips the weighted end of thelatch-bar D with the thumb of the hand by which the handle is grasped,thereby elevating the bar, nnlatching the handle from the notch ofthelatter, and permitting it to snap back into the dotted-line positionshown in Fig. l under the action of the spring G.

It will be readily understood that my invention is applicable to any andall kinds and classes of liquid receiving and measuringy receptacles ofthe general character or type hereinabove specified. The receptacleshown atA may be an ordinary mug, cup, or stein, such as are commonlyused for drinking purposes, lof any material whatever, in which case myinvention will ordinarily be used sim- This interlocking of v ply toindicate or announce when the receptacle `has been filled to such anextent that it may be safelyand properly served without liability ofbeing slopped over in the act of serving or drinking the contents; or,again, the receptacle may serve to substitute the graduatedmeasuring-receptacles now commonlyemployed in the retail sale of liquidsand beverages ofall kinds. It is also evident that` my invention mightbe advantageously employed in connection with the dispensing of otherthan liquid goods, such as fine granular solid goods possessingsuflicient mobility to run freely through a discharge-spout or the like.By'experiment the spring G can readily be adjusted so that the weightedindicator-bar D will fall and inter'- lock with the handle when anypredetermined quantity, as a pint, quart, or other given volume, ofliquid has been received, one adj ustment of the spring obviouslyserving for use in drawing 0E any number of equal volumes of the sameliquid or different liquids having the same specific gravity. Myinvention therefore is not limited to any particular character ofreceptacle nor to any particular material or materials ot' which it ismade. Neither do I limit myself to the precise details of constructionand relative arrangement of the several elements of my invention asherein shown and described, since they may obviously be varied to aconsiderable extent within the spirit and purview of my invention asdefined in the following claims.

, I claiml. In a measuring-receptacle of the class described, thecombination Awith the body of the receptacle, of a handle pivotedthereto, a spring interposed between the body and the handle andnormally opposing the gravity eifect of the contained liquid to tilt thebody relatively to the handle, and coperating devices on the body andhandle respectively adapted to automatically interlock when apredetermined quantity of liquid has been received, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a measuring-receptacle of the class described, the combinationWith the body of the receptacle, of a handle pivoted intermediate itsends to one side thereof, a spring interposed between the body and oneend of the handle and normally opposing the gravity effect of thecontained liquid to tilt the body relatively to the opposite end of thehandle, and coperating devices on the body and said opposite end of thehandle respectively adapted to automatically interlock when apredetermined quantity of liquid has been received, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a measuring-receptacle of the class de scribed, the combinationwith the body of the receptacle, of a handle pivoted intermediate itsends to one side thereof, a spring interposed between the body and thelower end of the handle and normally opposing the gravity edect of thecontained liquid to tilt the body away from the opposite end of thehandle,

Ioo l IIO and cooperating devices on the upper ends of the body andhandle respectively adapted to automatically interlock when apredetermined quantity of liquid has been received, substantially asdescribed.

Lt. In a measuring-receptacleof the class described, the combinationwith a cup-shaped receptacle, of a handle pivoted intermediate its endsto one side thereof, a compressionspring interposed between the lowerends of the receptacle and handle and normally opposing the gravityeffect of the contained liquid to separate the upper ends of thereceptacle and handle, a latch-bar pivoted to the upper end of thereceptacle and slidingly engaging the upper extremityT of the handle,and interlocking devices on said latch-bar and handle adapted tocooperate and lock the handle rigidly to the receptacle when apredetermined quantity of liquid has been received, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a measuring-receptacle ofthe class described, the combination withthe body of the receptacle, of a handle pivoted intermediate its ends toone side thereof, a compressionspring interposed between the lower endsof the body and handle respectively and normally opposing the gravityeiect of the contained liquid to separate the upper ends of the body andhandle, a latch-bar pivoted to the upper end of the body, a cooperatingcatch carried oy the handle, and means for effecting the interlockingengagement of said latchbar and catch when a predetermined quantity ofliquid has been received, substantially as described.

6. In a measuring-receptacle of the class described, the combinationwith the body of the receptacle, of a handle pivoted intermediate itsends to one side thereof, said handle including a vertical extensionslotted at its upper end, a compression-spring interposed between thelower ends of the body and handle respectively and normally opposing thegravity effect of the contained liquid to separate the upper ends of thebody and handle, a latch-bar pivoted to the upperend of the body andprovided with a weight and with a notch in its under edge, saidlatch-bar passing through the slot in the vertical extension of thehandle and interlocking therewith by means of ils notch when the desiredquantity of liquid has been received, substantially as described.

JOHN W. ZIMMERNIAN.

XVitnesses:

SAMUEL N. POND, FREDERTCK C. Goonwin.

